PURPOSE: To
hear from stakeholders on the implementation of the New York State
Health Insurance Exchange (New York State of Health), to discuss the
impact federal health care reform is having on insured individuals,
families and small businesses, and to explore possible state options
for providing assistance to those affected.

Monday, January 13

10:00 A.M.

Hearing Room B

Legislative Office Building

Albany, NY

Senator Kemp Hannon, Chairman of the New York State
Senate Standing Committee on Health and Senator James L. Seward,
Chairman of the New York State Senate Standing Committee on
Insurance, will be holding a public hearing to examine the readiness of
the New York State of Health and to explore how federal health care
reform is affecting insured New Yorkers.

The New York State Health Benefit Exchange was established in
April 2012 pursuant to Executive Order #42. New York was one
of 15 states to receive federal funding to implement a state-based
exchange and began accepting enrollments via its web-based portal on
October 1, 2013. The state has had a steady stream of people
signing up for private insurance and newly enrolling in Medicaid
effective January 1, 2014.

This hearing will be an opportunity for the committees and the
public to hear from stakeholders about their experiences with the
exchange and any areas of concern. In addition, the
committees are interested in exploring how previously insured New
Yorkers are being affected by federal health care reform and what
efforts the state may be able to take to assist them. Areas
to be explored will include:

Demographics on individuals and families who have enrolled
in private plans through the exchange or who have been enrolled in
Medicaid and other governmental plans;

Information on the SHOP Exchange, including current
enrollment, how many are expected to register, and how that compares to
earlier projections;

The administration’s decision not to allow individuals to
keep their existing insurance for one more year and whether insurers’
can offer this federal option if they choose;

The availability, training, and use of navigators and
application counselors;

The impact federal health care reform has had on insurance
agents and brokers and their experiences dealing with the
exchange;

The effects on individuals, sole proprietors, and small
businesses that are losing insurance because of federal health care
reform and facing higher premiums, larger deductibles, smaller
networks, and no out-of-network coverage;

The effects on organizations that had traditionally
provided health insurance coverage to their members prior to health
care reform, including chambers of commerce and the freelancers
union;

The security of consumer information in the
exchange;

The adequacy of networks, access to out-of-network services
both inside and outside of the exchange, and efforts to ensure the
state has sufficient primary care.

Oral testimony is by invitation only and will be limited to 10
minutes in duration followed by questions from the committee
members. Twenty copies of any prepared testimony should be
submitted at the hearing registration desk. Written testimony
is welcome and may be mailed or emailed to the Chairs.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability,
the Senate, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the
basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all
individuals with disabilities. For individuals with
disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request,
to afford such individuals access and admission to Senate facilities
and activities.